Brick-molding machine



Oct. 5 1926. 1,601,793

H. E. CULLEN BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 frzwrzior 152223 E (fl/Zea Oct- 5, 1926.

1,601,793 H. E.(:ULJ EFJ BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed MarchlO 1925 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 Oct. 5 1926. m 1,601,793 H. E. CULLEN BRICK MOLDING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Get. 5, 1926.

Uhll'llil: STATES Parent GEFWE.

HARRY E. CULLEN, OF MIHNEAPOLZS, IMZNNESOTA, ASSIGNOE TO CENTRAL MACHINE W'ORKS 00., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

BRICK-MOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed March 10, 1925. Serial No. 14,419.

Hy invention relates to improvements in machines for molding cement bricks of the type having holes extending therethrough from face to face thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable machine ofthis nature that is capable of being conveniently operated by one person and which has relative great capacity for the molding of cement bricks having apertures cored therethrough from face to face thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine, as above, the same includmg a mold member embodying the bottom of the mold as a part thereof and hinged to discharge the molded bricks, said machine also including cores yieldingly urged upward into and movable downward out of the mold through said bottom, said machine further including means actuated by said hinged mold member for latching said cores in depressed relation in the initial stage of the brick discharging swing of said hinged member and forreleasing said cores, when said section is returned to normal position with said bottom disposed to receive said cores.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention, the hinged mold member being shown in normal brick molding position; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said machine, a portion thereof being broken away to show the structural connec on between the frame members; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, the hinged mold member being illustrated in inverted, brick discharging position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view in detail taken on the line A l of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is also a sectional View, the same being taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a similar view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the upper portion of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, it will be which rest upon and are secured by bolts 15 to inturned flanges 16, 17 formed at the upper ends of the standards 10, 10. Traversing the bed A and formedintegrally with the front and rear sides 11, 12thereof are a plurality of spaced upright webs 18 each formed near its forward extremity with an upwardly extending rest 18. Rests 18 turned inward from the ends 13, 14 of the bed A, are formed with their upper supportmg faces in the same plane as the upper supporting faces of the rests 18 on said webs 18.

The mold B includes a fixed mold member 6 comprising a front wall 19 and end plates 20 and partition plates 21 fixed at their for ward extremities to said wall and reaching rearwardly thereof. Said mold B also includes a movable mold member Z), which comprises a rear mold wall 22 and a bottom plate 23, the latter being slotted transversely thereof to receive the partition plates 21 and to form bottom sections 23, for the mold cavities between the adjacent plates 20, 21. A hinge-shaft 24 reaching along the rear side 12 of the bed A passes through cars 25 formed on said side of said bed and also through bosses 26 formed on end brackets 27 secured to the ends of the mold wall 22. Thishinge shaft 26 among other things later to appear, supplies a pivot for the movable mold b and said member, hinged on said shaft, swings from normal position with the plate sections 23 bearing upon the rests 18, 18 (solid lines Fig. 6) to inverted brick discharging position (dotted lines, Fig. 6). Handles 28, adjustably secured to the upper ends of the end brackets 27 reach forwardly therefrom, in the general direction of the bottom plate sections 23 (Fig. 6), and provide grips for swinging the hinged mold member Z), said handles being positioned to permit of the ready retention of a pallet 29 in proper position to receive bricks from the bottom plate sections 23 as the hinged mold member 6 is inverted in its throw towards brick discharging position.

A core frame C arranged beneath the bed A and supplied with upright cores 30, three for each mold cavity, is formed at its ends with bearings 31, 31 (Fig. 2), which slide on upright posts 32, 32. The post 32 is secured at its upper end in an upright boss 33 formed integrally with the bed flange 13", and is fitted at its lower end with a spring tensioning and supporting collar 34. The other post 32 is similarly secured in a boss 33 formed on the bed flange l4 and is also supplied with a spring tensioning and supporting collar 34. Spaced beneath opposite ends of the core frame C and united therewith by stems 35 depending from said frame are rests 36, 36 for said core frame C. The fest 36 for one end of the core frame has a portion thereof loosely encircling the post 32, while the rest 36 for the other end of said core frame has a similar connection with the post 32. A spring 37, encircling the post 32 and interposed between the rest '36 and spring supporting collar 34, co-opcrates with a spring 37 encircling the post 32 and interposed between the rest 36 and,

collar 34, said springs 37, 37 acting normally to elevate the core frame C and to sustain the same. The cores 30, extending up ward from the core frame C and aranged three in a row, are adapted to enter and to be withdrawn from aligned complementary core openings 3O formed in the plate sections 23 of the core bottom 23.

Unrestricted, the springs 37, 37 urge the core frame C upward causing the cores St to enter the core openings 30 in the plate sections 23 and to rise in the mold cavities to position with their upper ends at the level of the top of the mold 3. Cement is introduced to the mold cavities and tamped about the cores 30 by hand or by means of a conventional mechanical tamping device arranged in front of the machine. To enable the hinged mold member 6 to be thrown back into inverted position for carrying the formed bricks from the mold and to empty said bricks upon a pallet it is first necessary to depress the cores 30 so that the bottom plate sections 23 may clear the same. A shaft 38, reaching from one of the standards 10, 10 to the other, is journaled at its ends in bosses formed on said standards. Two sleeves 39, 40 are fixed to this shaft, the former having a pair of crank arms 41 reaching upwardly therefrom and the latter beingsupplied with a pair of similarly disposed crank arms 42. Links 43, 43, adjustable in length, hang from lugs 44 (Fig. 8) depending from the core frame C, the lower end of the link 43 being pivoted by means of a pintle 45 to and between the ends of the arms 41, while the lower end of the link 43 is pivoted to and between the arms 42. The bent end 46 of a link-rod 4.6 supplies the pivotal connection between said last mentioned link 43 and the arms 42, said rod being extended downward and pivoted to a pedal-lever 47 hinged at its forward end to a fulcrum shaft 48 secured at its ends to the standards 10, 10. The pivotal connection between linl=rod 46 and pedal-lever 47 is made near the middle of the latter, the rear end of said pedal-lever 47 being supplied with a pedal-rest 48 readily accessible to the foot of an operator standing behind the machine. Pressure brought to bear upon the pedal-rest 48, causes the arms 41, to swing rearwardly and downwardly with the result that the coreframe C is pulled downward by the links 43, against the action of the sprin 's 37, 3?.

A latching mechanism is provided to secure the core frame 6 in depressed position, wherein the upper ends of the cores 30 are held beneath the mold bottom 23 inthe normal brick molding positionthereof. This mechanism includes two latch bars 49 pivotally suspended from shif'er-rods 5O traversing the bed A and slidably supported in the front and rear sides l1, 12 thereof. The lower end of one latch bar 49 slides and fulcrums in a guide lug 51 reaching inwardly of the machine from the core frame rest 36, the lower end of the other latch bar 49 being similarly associated with a guide lug 51 formed on the core frame rest 36. Each latch bar 49 is provided with a catch 49 arranged to engage the upper face of the core'frame C, when said frame has been depressed suiiiciently to bring the upper ends of the cores 3O beneath the bottom plate sections 23 of the mold (dotted lines, Fig. Expansion springs 52, one for each shifter rod 50, encircle their respective rods 50. Each spring 52 isbacked at one end against the side 12 of the bed A and at its other end against an abutment collar on its resp ctive rod 50. Said springs, unopposed, shift the rods 50 forwardly with the result that the catches 49 on the bars 49 are carried over the core frame G into frame latching position. The forward end of each shifter-rod 50'is pivotally and slidably con nected with the arms of a yoke-lever 53 depending from the hinge-shaft 24. The boss 26 (Fig. 9) on one of the end brackets 27 is fitted with an abutment pin 4 "alleling the axis of the hinge-shaft but 0. t therefrom. This abutment pin 54 overr aches crank-pin 55 secured to the hinge-shaft 2-4 radially thereof. In. the normal brick molding position of the hinged mold member l), the coaction of the pins 54, 55 operates through the hinge-shaft 24. yokederers 53 and shifter rods 50 to hold the latch-bars 49 back of their latching positions against the action of the springs 52. As the hinged mold member 6 is swung back into inverted position, the abutment pin 54 is retracted, the crank-pin 55 following said abutment pin under the action of the springs 52 during the initial stage of the inverting throw of said mold member Z). In so retracting the abutment pin 54 and thus allowing the crank pin to swing rearwardly, the hinge-shaft 24 and yoke levers 53 free the shifter rods 50 to the action of said springs 52, with the result that the latch-bars 49 are tilted forwardly and the catches 49 thereon engaged with the top of the coreframe C before the mold member 5 passes back oli center in its rearward swing. lVith said core-frame "C latched down against the action of the frame lifting springs 37, 37, an operator may remove his foot from the pedal-plate 48 and have both feet free when the molded bricks fall from the mold member 5 to the pallet 29 held in receiving position in the hands of the operator. During theiinal stage in the forward throw of the hinged mold member Z) to its molding position, the abutment pin 54 engages the crank-pin 55 and swings forwardly. Operating through the hingeshaft 24, yoke-levers 53 and shifter-rods 50, the crank-pin 55 causes the latch-bars 49 to be swung back against the action of the springs 52, with the result that the catches 49 are released from the core-frame G. Being then free to rise, the core-frame G is elevated by the springs 37, 37 the cores 30 being projected upwardly through the core openings 30 of the then normally positioned bottom plate sections 23.

To avoid accidental depression of the cores 30 during the tamping process, I provide 2 for holding the core-frame C in its elevated position, by employing the arms 41, 42 and links 43, 43" conjointly as props for said core-frame. Springs 56 (Fig. 6), stretched between the links 43,43 and core-frame C operate, after the core-frame C is elevated, to pull the pivots between the arms 41, 42 and links 43, 43 slightly past center, an abutment branch 43 (Fig. 6) depending from the link 43 servingto strike the sleeve 40 and narrowly limit the iac -knifing effect of said springs 56 on said arms and links. With the axes of the arms 41, 42 and links 43, 43 thus held only slightly off center by the springs 56 and the abutment 43, the core-frame C is effectually braced against accidental depression. The abutment 43 of course, clears the sleeve 40 when the core frame G is depressed through the medium of the pedal-lever 47 and the springs 56 yield as the links 43, 43 swing back from bracing position. After tamping material in the brick molding cavities of the mold B, the initial opening movement of the hinged mold member 5 required considerable effort, due to the clinging of the molded bricks to the front mold wall 19 and to the end and partition plates 20, 21. A cam device, exerting pressure against the lower sides of the bottom plate sections 23 and actuated by the pedal-lever 47, breaks the molded bricks from said mold wall 19 and plates 20, 21. This device includes cam-shaft 57 journaled at its ends at the inner sides of the ends 13, 14 of the bed A. Cam fingers 58, one for each section 23 of the bottom plate 23, are formed integrally with said cam shaft and operate upon the turning of said shaft in a clockwise direction 6), to impart an initial hinging movement to the movable mold member 6, whereby the edges of molded bricks in the mold cavities are tripped away from the mold wall 19 and from the sides of the end and partition plates 20, 21. An operating arm 59 formed integrally ith said cam-shaft 57 reaches downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said arm being joined through a link 60 with an arm 61 pivoted on the shaft 33. A lug 61 (Fig. 2) on an arm 61 fixed to the sleeve 40 overreaches said pivoted arm 61 and engages the. same as the upper ends of the cores 3O descend through the plate sections 23. Follo. 'ing such engagement of said lug 61 with said arm 61 and during the completion of the depressing throw of the pedal-lever 47 to fully depress the core-frame C, the camfingers 53 are caused to lift the plate sections 23 (dotted lines, Fig. 4) and thereby initiate the. opening throw of the hinged mold member Z). An expansion spring 62 (Fig. encircling a bolt 63 anchored in the rear side 12 of the bed A, is backed at one end against a nut 64 on said bolt and at its other end against a lug 57 depending from the cam-shaft 57. Said spring 62, unopposed, operates to turn the cam-shaft back into position, wherein the cam-fingers 5-8 thereon will not be struck by the bottom plate sections 23, when the hinged mold member Z) is returned to normal molding position.

In use, material is tamped into the mold cavities and about the cores 30. The operator, after placing a pallet 29 upon the top of the mold B, presses the pedal-lever 47 d wnward to withdraw the cores 36 from the bottom sections The hinged mold member Z), now free from the cores 30 is swung back into inverted position (dotted lines, Fig. 6), the. handles 28 being employed to complete the swing of said mold member Z) which. as above explained, is initiated by the cam-fingers 58. As the. mold member 5 is inverted, the core-frame C is latched down by the latch-bars 49 and the operator, who has manipulated the pallet in conncction with the handles 23. is free to meet the load of the molded bricks upon the. pallet, as they settle thereto from the inverted mold member 5. The return swing of said mold member Z) into molding position is attended with the unlatching of-the core-frame and the ascent of the cores 30 into the mold cavi ties through the bottom plate sections 23.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mold of the class described, a fixed mold member, a movable member including a bottom for the mold, said member being invertibly hinged to discnarge the molded product, said bottom being formed ith a core receivin opening therein, a vertically siidable core adapted to be projected into the mold and to be withdrawn therefrom through said opening, means for withdrawing the core from the mold and mechanism for initiating the discharging swing of the hinged mold member to break the molded product from the fixed mold members, said mechanism being co-ordinated with and operated by said core withdrawing means, whereby said swing of said hinged mold member is effected after the withdrawal of said core from the bottom thereof.

2. In a mold of the class described, a fixed mold member, a movable men'iber including a bottom for the mold, said member being invertibly hinged to discharge the molded product, said bottom bein formed with a core receiving opening therein, a vertically slidable core adapted to be projected into the mold and to be withdrawn therefrom through said opening, means for withdrawing the core from the mold and mechanism for iiitiating the discharging swing of the hinged mold member to break the molded product from the fixed mold members.

3. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a n old member invertibly hinged on said shaft for discharging the molded product therefrom, the bottom of said member being formed with core receiving openings therein, a vertically slidable core-frame, cores on said frame adapted to rise into the mold member and to be withdrawn therefrom through said openings, yielding means for elevating the core-frame, means for depressing the core-frame against the action of said yielding means, a latch for the coreframe, and latch operating means including said shaft as an element thereof, said means being actuated by said hinged member to cause said latch to secure the core-frame in depressed relation and to release said coreframe.

i. In a mold of the class eescribed, a fixed mold member, a movable member including a bottom for the mold, said member being invertibly hinged to discharge the molded product, said bottom being formed with a core receiving opening therein, a vertically slidable core adapted to be projected into the mold and withdrawn therefrom through said opening, a cam beneath the mold, an operating lever, and means connecting said lever with said core and With said cam, said means being adapted, upon one throw of said lever, to first withdraw the core from the mold and then swing said cam upward against the bottom of said mold.

5. in a device of the class described, a mold member invertibly hinged to discharge the molded product, the bottom of said memher being formed with core receiving openings therein, a ve. 'tically slidable core frame, cores on said frame adapted to rise into the mold member and to be withdrawn therefrom through said openings, springs for elevat ng said core-frame, a link depending from the corefraine, a crank arm connected with said link and means for turning said crank arm to depress the core-frame against the action of said springs, said link and crank arm serving in the elevated position of the core-frame, to rigidly prop said core- :frame against depression, except through the medium of said crank. v

6. in a device of the class described, a mold member invertibly hinged for dischargmolded products therefrom and formed with a core receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a core movable upward into the mold cavity and downward therefrom through said opening, yielding means for lifting said core into elevated operative position and means for rigidly securing said core in such position.

7. In. a device of the class described, a mold member invertibly hinged for discharginn: molded products therefrom and formed with a core receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a core movable upward into the mold cavity and downward therefrom through said opening, a spring for elevating said core, means for depressing the core against the action of said spring, a latch for said core, and means actuated by said'hinged mold member during the initial stage of the product discharging throw thereof to cause said latch to secure said core in depressed relation, said means being also actuated by said mold member during the final stage in the return throw thereof to cause said latch to release said core.

8. In a device of the class described, a mold member invertibly hinged for discharging molded products therefrom and formed with a core receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a core movable upward into the mold cavity and downward therefrom through said opening, a spring for elevating said core, means for depressing the core against the action of said spring. a latch to secure said core in depressed relation, and latch operating means actuated by said hinged mold member.

9. In a device of the class described, a mold member invertiblyhinged for discharging molded products therefrom and formed with a core receiving opening in the bottom thereof, a core movable upward into the mold cavity and downward therefrom through said opening, a springfor elevating said core, means for depressing the core against the action 01" said spring, said depressing means hold said core from downward movement when in its upper position and a latch to secure said core in depressed relation.

10. In a device of the class described, a fixed mold member, a movable mold member including a bottom, core members projectable through said bottom, means for Withdrawing said core members and means operable by said withdrawing means for moving said movable mold member.

11. In a device of the class descrlbed a fixed mold member, a movable mold member including a bottom arranged to swing away from said fixed mold member, core members projectable through said bottom, means for withdrawing said core members, and means for swinging said movable member, actuated by said withdrawing means upon withdrawal of said core members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY E. CULLEN. 

